Deborah Simmons - The Last de Burgh

There was nothing for Emery to do except follow Lord de Burgh. But when she stepped on to the stone stairs, she drew in a sharp breath at the sudden change in her surroundings. The familiar figure of Guy standing in the dim recesses of the church was replaced by a blackness so total that she blinked several times before she could see anything at all. Finally, she spied the faint flicker of the lantern, barely visible ahead.

Having no time to regret her hasty decision, Emery hurried forwards, lest the pale talisman disappear from view. But she had not counted upon the shape in front of her and stumbled into the tall form of Lord de Burgh.

‘Steady,’ he said, turning his head towards her. ‘Some people don’t do well in tight quarters, especially below ground. My brother Simon, for all his courage, is one, and there is no shame in it.’

Emery wasn’t about to argue, for she could not find her tongue. Lord de Burgh’s face was so close that she could see the thick, dusky lashes of his eyes. The lantern cast a glow upon his cheek, a beacon of warmth in the cool darkness. And when his gaze met hers, Emery’s heart began pounding so loudly that she was certain he could hear it.

Like an animal in the glare of a lamp, Emery was powerless to look away, her breath faltering, her pulse racing. Then something flared in his eyes, a question perhaps, but if so, it was one that Emery could not answer. Time stood still as their gazes held until, to her relief, he finally turned away.

Shuddering, Emery was glad of the shadows as she sought to control her clamouring senses. Thankfully, Lord de Burgh appeared little affected by what had seemed so momentous to her because he soon spoke over his shoulder.

‘Watch your feet,’ he said as he resumed walking. ‘The Templars might have laid traps for unwanted visitors.’

Traps? Emery felt as though she had already fallen into one, as she belatedly realised the intimacy of the situation. Neither a past spent with her father and brother, nor her recent isolation, had prepared her for the experience of being alone in the dark with a man, let alone a man like Lord de Burgh. Panic stirred, and it was not the fear of being unmasked, now a very real possibility, or even the dangers of the tunnel that chilled her.

Something had just passed between them, something so powerful that Emery hoped he would never look her way again. Not like that. And especially not here in the darkness.

Nicholas did not care to dwell on what had just occurred, though he had the feeling he could unravel the puzzle of his odd reaction if he put his mind to it. But now was not the time. Travelling underground in unknown passages required all of his attention, lest he fall or lose his way. And he had not undertaken this exploration recklessly, no matter what Guy might think.

Pausing to inspect the ground at his feet, Nicholas noted that it sloped slightly. But why go deeper under the earth? Perhaps the Templars had taken advantage of some natural formations, using and extending what already existed to suit their needs.

Although that would mean less chance of the roof crashing down upon them, it posed other dangers. Having explored the caves near his brother Geoff’s property, Nicholas knew that a mis-step could lead to disaster, especially when they had no rope. One slip into a crevasse would mean no escape, and though recently he might have courted such risks, he had no intention of losing his life—or Emery’s.

The thought made him slant a glance behind him, just to make sure the boy was still following. The sight of the youth’s bent head was a strange comfort, making Nicholas suddenly aware of home and family. Perhaps that explained his odd reaction. With six older brothers, he’d never had the opportunity to pass on his experience and knowledge to a younger sibling. Now he wondered whether he should share his skills with someone who might make use of them—before it was too late. And Emery seemed a more likely candidate than Guy.

‘It doesn’t look as though anyone has passed this way in a long time,’ the youth whispered, as though confirming Nicholas’s thoughts.

‘Perhaps the way is blocked ahead, putting an end to its usage,’ Nicholas said.

‘Or maybe they no longer have need of a secret entrance to the church.’

‘Yet if they still monitor the tunnels, we should keep quiet. Some of these places can produce echoes or amplify sound to warn those ahead.’

Emery fell silent then, and Nicholas knew a sense of loss. There was something soothing about the boy’s speech, as though he were wise beyond his years. Or maybe Nicholas had just grown weary of his squire’s company. Guy’s constant fussing made him seem more like a nursery maid than a squire, and his harping to return home grew wearisome.

Frowning at the thought, Nicholas continued on, watching his steps even as he peered into the darkness ahead and studied the surrounding walls. It was slow going. Eventually, he began to wonder if the tunnel even led to Temple Roode. Perhaps they had passed some hidden niche that would have taken them to the preceptory or were caught in an endless loop, a vast maze below ground.

But then the light glinted upon something in front of them. Stretching out one arm, Nicholas gestured for Emery to stay behind while he inched forwards, keeping his body as close to the side of the tunnel as possible. Their path had remained level for some time, so they were probably well below any buildings above. Yet the narrow passage opened on to a wider space ahead, making Nicholas proceed with caution.

For long moments, he stood waiting and listening. When he heard nothing, he lifted the lantern closer to the opening. The light seemed to be swallowed up by the greater darkness, then it glittered upon shadowy surfaces. At first Nicholas thought they had stumbled upon a cavern of some sort, but it was not like any he had ever seen. Curious, he took a step and held the lantern higher, only to realise he was not looking at the exposed rock and ore of a catacomb, but something created by man.

Nicholas heard Emery’s low intake of breath as the boy reached his side, and he could only marvel, as well. Whether originally an existing cave or something dug from the earth, the place in which they found themselves had been well worked by the Templars. In fact, it seemed that every inch of the surrounding walls was covered with carvings even more strange than those in the church: circles, swords, crosses, outlines of figures, arcane symbols and depictions of scenes, some of them holy, some wholly unrecognisable.

The carvings reached as far as the eye could see, or at least as far as could be illuminated. Stretching upwards to plunge into blackness, they must have taken years, perhaps decades or more, to complete. For long moments Nicholas simply stood staring, but when Emery would have stepped forwards, he stopped the boy with a gesture.

He had been looking up, rather than down, and Nicholas bent low to examine the ground before entering the chamber. Although it looked sturdy, he kept to the perimeter as he made his way inside, Emery at his heels. At first, he thought the surrounding walls formed a circle, much like the Templar church, but when he reached the halfway point, he realised he was standing within an octagon.

‘What is this place?’ Emery whispered.

Nicholas glanced towards a dark niche that might serve as an altar. ‘Perhaps it is used for worship.’

‘Surely not by the Templars,’ Emery protested, sounding as unsure as Guy about the order.

Nicholas shrugged, for he knew little of what went on in religious houses. Still, he suspected few harboured hidden rooms, especially an underground cavern like this one. ‘Mayhap it has been here for centuries and the Templars simply turned it to their own needs.’